Dolphins finally name Bill Sheridan to coach inside linebackers

This time last week, the Dolphins appeared on the verge of hiring former Giants defensive assistant Bill Sheridan to coach linebackers.

Today, the team made it official, naming Sheridan to coach the team’s inside linebackers. He will replace George Edwards, who left the Dolphins to become the Florida Gators’ defensive coordinator.

Sheridan, 50, coached the Giants linebackers from 2005-2008 and was the team’s defensive coordinator in 2009.

Bill Sheridan, fired by the Giants, has been hired by the Dolphins as inside linebackers coach. (AP)

With Sheridan as linebackers coach, middle linebacker Antonio Pierce made the 2006 Pro Bowl and the defense went from 24th (2005) and 25th (2006) in Sheridan’s first two seasons to seventh (2007) and fifth (2008) in his next two.

But with Sheridan as defensive coordinator, the Giants allowed 427 points in 2009, leading to his Jan. 4 firing. New York dropped 8 of its last 11 games and allowed 40 points on five different occasions – a franchise record.

Prior to the Giants gig, Sheridan had been a college assistant, including stints at Michigan, Notre Dame and Army, where he worked for Jets defensive assistant Bob Sutton when he was the Cadets head coach.

Sutton’s name emerged during the weekend as a intriguing candidate for the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator opening.

But all signs now point toward Mike Nolan being hired to replace Paul Pasqualoni.

Nolan resigned as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Monday.

This week, Nolan will interview with the Dolphins about their defensive coordinator vacancy, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Before the split, Miami sent in a request for permission to interview Nolan, Schefter reported.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s John Clayton reports Nolan and the Dolphins are close to an agreement.

Nolan, 50, has experience in the 3-4 scheme and was the defensive coordinator of the New York Jets in 2000, when Bill Parcells was the team’s GM.

From there, Nolan joined the Baltimore Ravens and was the coordinator of one of the league’s top defenses for three years (2002-04).

The Broncos gave up the fewest points in the NFL (66) during the first six games of the season. But during four losses to close the season, Denver allowed an average of 30.5 points.

The Dolphins also haven’t replaced outside linebackers coach Jim Reid, who left to become the University of Virginia’s defensive coordinator.